Reddit reviews Hosa CSS-110 1/4" TRS to 1/4" TRS Balanced Interconnect Cable, 10 Feet

You are probably using the wrong (not balanced aka symmetric) cables.

You can recognise them by the stereo plug example link

PC to Scarlett to JBL's. The Scarlett doesn't seem to take RCA's, you'll need a TRS end for the Scarlett end. JBL will take the same connector and XLR.

I've seen the Lexicon Alpha consistently recommended for the LSR305 since it has balanced outputs + low cost + performance. IIRC it has some kind of problem with macOS, not sure, look into it if you're on a Mac.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HVXMNE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AV80KMVI6ZWQL&psc=1

These would be the cables for you I believe (thankx NoAudiophile.com!)

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000068NYH/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Tons of other good DAC/amp combos out there; the Alpha is unique b/c of the balanced outputs which should eliminate hum/interference issues.

Disclaimer - I don't own any of this gear personally.

You have two options:

1. TRS to TRS cable
   
2. TRS to XLR
   
   Either one will work. Note that the XLR cable is sold as a single, so you need to put two in your basket. They connect from the two outputs on the rear of your Focusrite.
   
   There's not going to be any difference in sound quality between the two.

You need a pair 1/4" TRS balanced patch cables. http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-Cable-CSS110-Interconnect-Cables/dp/B000068NYH#mobile-twister_size_name_1452610963094

Nah, you're gonna have to purchase them.

These are fairly cheap, and will do the job fine.

I also bought the LSR305s and was getting a lot of background noise from my motherboard. I picked up a Behringer U-PHORIA UMC202HD for $50 on sale. Looks like you can pick it up for ~$100 on amazon or eBay right now. It has balanced TRS outputs and you can independently control the speaker and headphone volumes with the knobs on the right side.

Make sure you also have a pair of TRS to TRS cables. I use these.

Edit: I forgot you'd also need a 1/4" adapter for your headphones as they come with a 3.5mm one.

Yeah thats definitely a form of ground loop interference. Most likely coming from your GPU leaking voltage to the common ground.

Yes that is the mixer i was talking about. The only change i would make is to run the phono pre-amp into the "Line in 2/3". You'll need some RCA to 1/4' TS adapters. That way you have level control over it.

Also, you will need some balanced 1/4" TRS cables to go from the mixer to the speakers.

And what happens when you try it without the subwoofer in your chain? I'd guess that is the source of your interference.

Have you tried balanced audio TRS cables from your audio interface to your monitors? If not you definitely need to do that too. The cable you linked is an unbalanced - all RCA connectors are going to be unbalanced.

Balanced audio cables are designed to eliminate interference, static, and background noise. It sounds like you are having all those symptoms but are using consumer, unbalanced cables rather than professional balanced cables.

http://www.aviom.com/blog/balanced-vs-unbalanced/

Tldr at the end

I can't find any schematics for the cable so I'm not 100% sure it would work, but judging by some size comparisons, I think you could use some jumper cables meant for breadboards. If you could give me the size of the port of an individual pin of the 8 pin connector I can verify.

If the size is 2.54mm then for around $6 you can get: Multicolored Breadboard Dupont Jumper Wires - ALLUS J7011 120Pcs 3in1 Ribbon Cables Kit, Male to Male (M/M), Female to Female (F/F), Male to Female (M/F) for Arduino and Raspberry Pi https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073X7P6N2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oseBDb0RSX6HQ.

You can get a 10 foot 1/4 TRS for ~$6 on Amazon: Hosa CSS-110 1/4" TRS to 1/4" TRS Balanced Interconnect Cable, 10 Feet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000068NYH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7ueBDb0M84YBM.

You're looking at about $7 for the xlr: AmazonBasics XLR Male to Female Microphone Cable - 6 Feet, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JNLTTKS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0weBDbQNK67CW

If you have a trs cable, jumper cables, or an xlr cable at your house it will be cheaper. You would also need a soldering iron and some solder ~$10-$15.

It depends on the supplies you need. Assuming you don't have the cables but you have the soldering iron you're looking at about $20. Otherwise it is the same price.

Tldr; it's only $10 cheaper if you don't have a spare xlr, 1/4 TRS, or jumper cables. If you don't have any of the cables as well as the soldering iron, it's the same price.

Here is a set of TRS adapters, comes with 2 pieces of both 1/4 to 3.5mm and 3.5mm to 1/4, so one of those, and then you can grab 2 of these male to male 1/4 TRS cables. I don't know about the quality of these - monoprice ones I linked are quality - 16AWG.

Another thing I failed to mention is that most equipment runs 1/4, yet another reason to choose the run as 1/4 - most external audio interfaces have 1/4 TRS outs (hell, you could use these cables for an electric guitar if you wanted).

My Presonus Audiobox USB only had one headphone out, so I got one of these for your exact purpose: https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Pro-PHA40-4-Channel-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B003M8NVFS/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=headphone+mixer&qid=1557174542&s=gateway&sr=8-9


just get a male-to-male TRS cable ( https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CSS-110-Balanced-Interconnect-Cable/dp/B000068NYH/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3QR9Z2RFJ35EW&keywords=trs+cable&qid=1557174680&s=gateway&sprefix=trs%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-3 ) to output from your audio interface into this mixer and then plug both headphones into the mixer and adjust the levels accordingly. Works great!

Yes it will and you need two 1/4" TRS cables like these:
https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CSS-110-Balanced-Interconnect-Cable/dp/B000068NYH

I'm also looking for a DAC for the LSR305. So far, the Scarlett 2i2 2nd gen seems to be one of the most popular.

In the case of the 2i2, you would need:

• 1x USB Cable A-Male to B-Male (like this one)
  
  and
  
  
• 2x 1/4'' TRS cables (like this one
  
  or
  
  
• 2x XLR to TRS cable (like this one)
  
  
  Whichever DAC you decide to get you should get one with balanced outputs like TRS (Scarlett 2i2) or XLR (Scarlett 2i4). It doesn't make any difference as far as sound quality if output is TRS or XLR or if you use XLR to TRS cables.
  
  So, as I said I'm looking for a DAC too and although the 2i2 is popular I haven't setled on it yet; I'm just a casual music listener and I feel the recording inputs will be wasted if I get the Scarlett as I don't do any recording at all, ever.
  
  I just wand a decent DAC (<$200) that has volume control and balanced outputs (and optionaly, very low prio, a headphone output).

Hey, I am also using a set of the MK1 version of the LSR305 with a PC. I think everyone is spot-on about the ground loop isolator. If you are looking for a cheap fix, try that first.


Beyond that, like many have suggested - the on-board audio from a PC can be noisy. An external DAC is also a good suggestion, but also a more complicated one, in terms of what all you will need to buy. If you wish to go this route, I will make a recommendation that I can confirm works very well (noise-free, even at high volume) with the LSR305's:

1. Lexicon Alpha - Currently $59 (regularly $49, track price on camelcamelcamel.com if you want to wait.) Yes, technically is a DAC, but is considered a USB recording interface. Think of it as a USB sound card. It is designed to be used with powered studio monitors like the LSR305's - and will take advantage of their balanced audio input capability to cancel out noise. Bonus capability - a physical volume knob (no reaching behind the JBL's, or trying to get to PC soft mixer while in a game, etc), and adds an aux input - you could connect your phone and mix phone+PC audio at the same time.
   
   
   
2. 1/4" TRS balance audio cable - get 2, one for each speaker, in the length you prefer. See the 3 contacts (between the 2 black rings)? Each speaker will get a balanced signal from the Lexicon Alpha - a positive audio signal, negative audio signal, and ground. The negative+positive balanced signal cancels out noise.
   
   
   Either way don't stress over it - the LSR305's are a great choice.

I recommend these Hosa TRS cables: http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-Cable-CSS110-Interconnect-Cables/dp/B000068NYH

I already have 2 of these ( http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CSS110-TRS-Interconnect-Cable/dp/B000068NYH/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319524911&sr=8-2 ), would they work from the mixer to the monitors? I really dont know the difference between TS and TRS (isnt it more than just stereo capability)?

A balanced cable similar in function to XLR. Usually used in professional settings for longer cable runs, hotter signals, and greater noise suppression.

Like two of this https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CSS-110-Balanced-Interconnect-Cable/dp/B000068NYH

Sure thing! Here's a pic for reference - you'll want a balanced TRS cable like the one on the left in the image. If you don't have any on hand, here's a link; get two.